Can't Get Enough [Wattpad Featured Story]

Chapter Five

"Plans are established by counsel." – Proverbs 20:18

The trio surfed for a few more hours before calling it a day. Koa's final ride was a crumbly, powerless two-footer that barely gave enough room for him to do a quick cross-step. He ended up banking it off the whitewater and nearly lost his balance in the process, so he rode the rest of the way in on his stomach.

As soon as he stepped off his longboard, his toes sank into the cool sand. He trudged onto shore with his board tucked underneath his arm. When he glanced down the beach, he saw Alana and Tammy emerge from the water.

"Hey, I'm gonna go rinse off in the showers," he called. "I guess I'll see you guys later."

"Oh, wait—I'll go with you," Alana called back, quickly unstrapping her leash and wrapping it around the tail of her board. Tammy followed them up a flight of stairs, where the trio took turns rinsing themselves and their surfboards in the outdoor showers. Koa was almost done getting the last smatter of sand off one his fins when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He glanced up and immediately wished he hadn't looked.

"It seems we have company," he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"What?" Alana gave him a confused look, and Koa pointed over her shoulder. Her gaze immediately fell. "Oh. Just ignore them, Koa."

"Ignore who?" Tammy asked.

"Nobody," Alana said quickly. "Hey, why don't you go home and get dried off? I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

Tammy frowned, but after a few moments' deliberation conceded. "Okay," she said. "But only if you take me to get a smoothie later."

Alana sighed. "Tammy..." But after seeing a certain someone approaching in her peripheral vision, she caved. "Fine. I'll see you in a bit."

Tammy smiled and ambled away, leaving Koa and Alana in an awkward silence. Both of them were unsure of what to do next, so Alana quickly turned off her side of the shower and flicked a strand of wet hair out of her eyes. The reason she didn't want Tammy hanging around was because of her.

Taylor Rosalind sauntered past, pushing her straightened hair out of her face with long, slender fingers. She wrapped a hand around Cole's bicep, subtly pulling him closer. Alana frowned.

Taylor and Cole had a rocky, on-and-off relationship. One minute they would be inseparable at school, and the next they would treat each other as mere acquaintances. Alana liked to think they considered themselves 'friends with benefits.'

"Hi Koa," Taylor said in her sugary voice, giving a brisk wave. Koa raised his head, smiled faintly, and then pretended to be busy studying a ding on the rail of his board. It was hard not to miss the scowl on Alana's face as Taylor and Cole blatantly ignored her. Alana glared at Taylor's retreating back.

Koa thought he caught a glimpse of bitterness in Alana's eyes, but he remained silent. Taylor had always put Alana down and made fun of her group of friends every chance she got. Moreover, she was a bad influence for Cole, and had him wrapped around her little finger.

Koa immediately felt guilty. It was obvious that Cole was flaky and immature, and it was true that he and Taylor had a weird history together, but it simply wasn't Koa's place to judge his friend.

For a few moments, the only sound to be heard was the crashing of waves and the whir of skateboard wheels over cement as a kid raced by. Then Alana broke the silence by muttering, "She ticks me off."